Vauxhall was "too slow to acknowledge drivers' concerns, too slow to begin an investigation, too slow to address the causes and too slow to alert drivers of real safety concerns,” she added.

Vauxhall launched the first recall of Zafira B cars in December 2015.

It was told about the first fire in a vehicle that had been recalled in February last year, but it did not launch its second recall for another three months.

The MPs said in their report that: "Vauxhall's decision to continue to let people drive affected cars amounts to a reckless disregard for safety.

“This is particularly damning given its admission that it should have notified customers earlier.

"In the absence of any explanation for its tardy response from the witnesses that appeared before us we can only conclude that commercial considerations and the need to avoid reputational damage were put ahead of safety; this is unacceptable and morally reprehensible."

The committee said it was not aware of any fatalities or serious injuries caused by the fires.

The committee MPs are calling for new laws to prosecute car makers who fail to address a safety issue.

The current system simply relies on the manufacturer doing everything voluntarily.